Episode 45 Pointless

APPLAUSE

Thank you very much. I'm Alexander Armstrong.

Welcome to Pointless, the quiz that puts obscure knowledge to the test.

Let's meet today's players.

APPLAUSE

And couple number one.

Hi, I'm Lewis, this is Tom. We're housemates. I'm from Basildon, he's from Cambridge.

And couple number two.

My name's Si, this is Denise. We are work colleagues from Somerset.

Couple number three.

Hi there, I'm Steve, this is Serena. We're a happily married couple from Cheshire.

And finally couple number four.

Hi, I'm Katie, this is my sister Joanna, and we're from Burscough in west Lancashire.

And these are today's contestants.

APPLAUSE

We'll find out more about you throughout the show as it goes along.

That leaves one more person for me to introduce.

Cutting through the red tape of bureaucracy to bring you cold hard slabs of fact,

-it's my Pointless friend, it's Richard.

-Hiya.

APPLAUSE Hi, everybody.

-Good afternoon to you.

-And to you!

What a show we had last time. What an ending.

We had Josie and Simon, the previous show they'd been knocked out flukily in the head-to-head.

So they came back, got through to the jackpot round.

Got three on their first answer, which was tough enough.

Got one on their second answer. And one again on their third answer.

They were lovely as well. Really unlucky. One of the unluckiest couples we've had so far.

We've got two sets of pairs who were on that show as well.

Denise and Si who got knocked out in the second round. They might do well today.

We've also got Katie and Joanna who were members of the 200 club last time.

So no pressure, ladies, on that end podium there.

-So it should be a cracker.

-It certainly should.

Thanks. All our questions on Pointless have been put to 100 people before the show.

Our contestants here need to find the obscure answers those 100 people didn't get.

Now everyone's trying to find a pointless answer.

That's an answer that none of our 100 people gave.

And each time that happens we will add £250 to the jackpot.

We haven't had a pointless answer for a while so let's have one this show.

Josie and Simon didn't win the jackpot last time

so we add another £1,000 to that.

So today's jackpot starts off at £8,500.

APPLAUSE

Right, if everyone's ready, let's play Pointless.

In this first round I'll take an answer from each of you but there is to be no conferring.

At the end of the round whichever pair has the highest score will be heading home.

So our first category today is...

Can you all decide in your pairs who's going to go first, who's going to go second.

And whoever's going first please step up to the podium.

OK, and the question concerns...

Actors who served in the military, Richard.

On each part we're going to show you seven descriptions of actors

who once served in the UK or US military.

Just need to tell us the name of the actor. 14 in all to have a go at. Very best of luck.

Thanks very much. We're looking for the names of these actors described in the clues on the board.

And here is our first board of seven.

I'll read those one last time.

There we are.

Seven actors who were in the military.

Now then, Lewis and Tom, you all drew lots and today you're going first.

Lewis, welcome to the show.

You're from Basildon but you're studying at the University of Essex. What are you reading there?

-I'm studying politics.

-Politics.

OK. And what do you get up to when you're not studying politics?

A bit of everything. Politics, I have met some quite significant political figures.

Met Gordon Brown and the Milliband brothers.

I actually got shown up a bit by Gordon Brown on live telly.

-What happened?

-He was shaking a lot of people's hands as he came to my home town.

I put my hand out and he walked past without shaking it

and you see me return my hand behind my back.

On live BBC news at the time as well.

Tell you what, no wonder he lost!

LAUGHTER

Anyway, actors who were in the military. That's just a gift, isn't it?

Quite the opposite. I have absolutely no idea.

-I can basically have a complete wild guess.

-You're going to have to.

Top one I'm going to go for Frank Sinatra cos I've no idea.

Frank Sinatra says Lewis. Frank Sinatra.

Let's see if that's right and if it is how many of our 100 people said Frank Sinatra.

Bad luck, Lewis.

I'm afraid that's an incorrect answer and that scores you the maximum of 100 points.

Sorry, Lewis, I feel like you've put your hand out to Frank Sinatra and he's just walked on by.

LAUGHTER

Denise.

Denise, welcome back. You and Si work together, we discovered last time.

What do you do in your spare time?

With me it's genealogy, family tree. Spend a lot of time tracing the family tree.

-All over the world.

-You've been international with this?

-What's the furthest afield you've been?

-Canada. The States.

Been and met my cousins across there.

That's exciting. Did you discover you had lots of things in common?

Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely.

Anyway, Denise, what about this board?

There's a couple on there I do like.

Second one I'm going to go with Clark Gable.

Clark Gable, says Denise.

Let's see if that's right. Let's see how many people said Clark Gable.

It's right.

-34!

-APPLAUSE

Not bad at all, Denise. 34 for Clark Gable.

He trained as a photographer and aerial gunner in the army air force.

Now then, Stephen, welcome. Welcome to the show. What do you do, Stephen?

Hi, Alexander. I'm an antiquarian bookseller.

Are you? Do you have a shop or do you do it...

No, unfortunately in the world of the internet a shop is a waste of money, it's not worth it.

So we do the online platforms, get stuff at auctions,

sell it to people who want it from Japan, Australia, America, wherever.

So it's a worldwide business. It's interesting to me, I love it.

Wow. Now, Stephen.

What do you make of this board?

There's a couple I'm hopeful of.

If possible I'd like to go for the bottom one.

His first film was George Bailey.

I think that's James Stewart. I'm hoping it's James Stewart.

James Stewart. Let's see if that's right, let's see how many of our 100 people said James Stewart.

Absolutely right, Stephen.

-26! Our best score so far.

-APPLAUSE

Yes, twice received the distinguished Flying Cross, another person in the army air force.

He first went along there and was rejected cos he was 5lbs too light for his height.

He had to go away and put on weight.

Nice problem.

He had a very distinguished flying career.

Thank you, Richard. Joanna.

Here we are, back again. Time to redeem yourselves from last time.

-Remind us what you do.

-I'm a student at university.

-And what are you studying?

-Secondary education mathematics.

-Mathematics. Now, how do you feel about these actors with a past in military?

-Awful!

-Oh no!

-I'm going to have to take a guess.

I'm going to go with starred in The Golden Girls as Dorothy. Audrey Hepburn.

Audrey Hepburn. OK, well, let's see if that's right and how many of our 100 people said Audrey Hepburn.

Oh!

Bad luck. I'm afraid an incorrect answer.

Which means you score the maximum of 100 points.

-Sorry, Joanna, that's the 300 club you're in now.

-Yes!

Just one step away.

I think you'll be fine. You've got first pick on the next board. Should be OK.

Not Audrey Hepburn. It's actually Bea Arthur from The Golden Girls.

She would have scored you four points.

Mr Bojangles, not Frank Sinatra. Frank Sinatra never served in the military.

He had a perforated ear drum, never served.

-It was...

-Sammy Davis Jr.

-Sammy Davis Jr, yes.

That would have scored you 26.

The former sailor, that is Tony Curtis. Would have scored you 16.

The guy who played Cliff Huxtable was Bill Cosby.

Would have scored you 37.

-And wrote and starred in Robin Hood and Blazing Saddles.

-Mel Brooks.

Would have scored you 28.

Thank you very much. Halfway through the round, let's take a look at the scores.

Only three scores between the four of you.

26 the lowest score of that pass, Stephen. Well done.

Stephen and Serena looking quite strong, as indeed are Denise and Si on 34.

Then up to 100 where we find Lewis and Tom and Joanna and Katie.

So yes, Katie, you get first pick of the board.

Use it wisely. Best of luck with that.

We're going to come back down the line. Second players step up to the podium.

Let's put seven more clues on the board. And here they are.

I'll read those one last time.

Seven actors with a military background. Now then.

Katie.

Katie, it's over to you. Now you are also studying to be a maths teacher.

I am.

And it would have been nice if GCSE mathematics came up

cos I think we would have done a lot better!

I think I know the bottom one but I don't want to risk it.

So I'm going to go with the one that most people will know

but it's the only one I can be sure about.

Which is nicknamed The King, which is Elvis Presley.

OK. Elvis Presley. Nicknamed The King, says Katie.

No red line, joint high scorers. Let's see how many people recognised The King as Elvis Presley.

It's right.

-65!

-APPLAUSE

65 takes your total up to 165.

It's not 200, it keeps you in the game.

So well done. Yeah, he was in the US army for a couple of years.

They offered him a chance to go into a special unit and entertain the troops.

He said, "No, I want to be a regular soldier."

Serena, good news for you. You're through to the next round.

Even if you score 100 points you won't overtake the high score of Katie and Joanna.

So what do you do, Serena?

I'm a sales exec for a food manufacture who make sauces for chefs.

Sauces for chefs! Not for the likes for us, just for chefs?

Some of them are available retail now.

Fair enough. Serena, what about this board here?

There's a couple I think I know.

The one I think I'll go for is

the colourblind actor who had his own range of salad dressings.

I think it's Paul Newman.

Paul Newman. Let's see if Paul Newman's right

and let's see how many of our 100 people said Paul Newman.

It's right.

-35!

-APPLAUSE

35 takes your total up to 61.

Well played, Serena.

No one less qualified to be in The Color Of Money than Paul Newman.

He enlisted four days before his 18th birthday,

and he couldn't get his pilot's wings because of the colour blindness.

His entire squadron was called to an aircraft carrier.

His entire squadron wiped out by a kamikaze attack.

And he missed it cos his pilot on that day was ill so he was grounded.

But the entire squadron.

Si. Si. Good news for you. You're also through to the next round.

What do you do in your spare time?

We do a lot of charity work through the store

just for, you know, just trying to raise money.

I like to get involved with that, raise as much as we can.

-I do the occasional 10k run if I can get fit enough.

-Well done.

That's kind of it. I love football, big Liverpool fan.

Sorry, Richard.

I don't mind Liverpool, that's OK. Not really anyone's natural enemies any more.

When they used to be good, people would be booing, but now...

-LAUGHTER

-Yeah, we were.

That's when you know the glory days are gone when everyone goes, "Fine."

Si, so... What are you going to go for here?

One of them has gone that I knew. The only other one I know...

I'm a big fan. I hope it's right. It's the bottom one.

Which I'm hoping is Jon Pertwee.

Jon Pertwee says Si. Jon Pertwee.

No red line for you because you're also through.

Let's see if that's right and how many people said it.

It is right.

17! Very well done! Best score so far.

17 for Jon Pertwee.

Takes your total up to 51.

He was a member of the naval intelligence during World War Two.

Alongside Ian Fleming.

Reporting directly to Churchill.

So he had quite the war.

-Quite the war.

-Quite the war.

Now then, Tom, we have a game on.

-We have a game on here.

-I don't think we do!

Oh, don't say that, Tom! Don't say that.

Now, Tom, what do you do?

I'm a student of sport and exercise science.

What's that involve, typically? What does that...

Mainly it's anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, how you walk, how you run.

-So tends towards more medical side of sports.

-Kind of, yeah.

OK, interesting.

When you're not doing that, what do you do? I imagine sport's a big part.

I play football and cricket.

Mainly cricket nowadays.

OK, now then, listen, Tom. Let's just think this through.

Just have a little pause on each one just in case something inspires you.

You have to score 64 or less.

Or it'll be goodbye to Tom and Lewis.

I think it is, I'm afraid.

I had an answer for the bottom one, wasn't right. Knew Elvis.

Was going to go for Paul Newman.

I would have said Loyd Grossman so that's not even close.

LAUGHTER

Salad dressings, I thought why not.

Erm...

I don't know.

I'm going to go for portrayed Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore in Apocalypse Now. Patrick Stewart.

Patrick Stewart. Patrick Stewart, says Tom.

Here is your red line.

That's where you have to go, below that, to remain on the show.

Let's see. Patrick Stewart. Is it right? If it is, how many people said it?

No! Bad luck. An incorrect answer scores you 100 points.

Takes your total up to 200.

Sorry, Tom. That sounds quite convincing, Patrick Stewart.

Sort of like an acceptable answer.

This round obviously a lot of older actors.

I think cos of the very nature of having served in the military.

So let's take a look through the rest of this board.

I know some people will have got everything on these rounds

and some will have been engaging damage limitation.

-Played Moses in The Ten Commandments.

-Charlton Heston.

Charlton Heston, yes. He would have scored you 26.

Now, Lieutenant Bill Kilgore in Apocalypse Now. Harder one, that.

Robert Duvall.

He would have scored you one point. It's the best answer up there, that one.

-Yakety Sax is the theme tune.

-Benny Hill?

Benny Hill! That's what that song's called. Eight points.

-And won an Oscar for The African Queen.

-Humphrey Bogart?

Yes, and that would have scored you 18. Very well done if you got all those at home.

Thanks very much, Richard. At the end of our first round I'm sorry to say

the pair leaving us with their high score of 200 are Tom and Lewis.

That was a tough board. As Richard said, they were all of a much older generation, those actors.

I wanted your one. Bill Cosby.

-You'd have got that one if you'd gone the other way round?

-Yeah.

-Lewis, would you have been any good on that board?

-I'd have got all of them but Tom wanted to go second.

I couldn't do anything about it so...

Tom and Lewis, we have to say goodbye. We'll see you again next time.

Thanks very much for playing, Tom and Lewis.

APPLAUSE

Right, for the remaining three pairs, it's now time for round two.

APPLAUSE

So now we're down to three pairs.

Katie and Joanna, this is it, this is round two!

We're so happy to be here!

Great to have you. We're very happy that you made it through.

It was looking a bit tense at one stage.

-It was my fault.

-You did it. Very well done.

Denise and Si, you made it through to round two last time.

But no further so best of luck to you.

And Stephen and Serena, good stuff, keep it up.

Best of luck to all three pairs.

Our category for round two is...

Can you all decide who's going to go first, who's going to go second.

And whoever's going first step up to the podium.

OK, let's find out what the question is. Here it comes.

We gave 100 people 100 seconds to name...

Olympic host cities that were not capital cities. Richard.

We're looking for the name of any official host city of any summer or winter Olympics

from 1896 all the way through to 2012

that was not the capital of its country.

Very very best of luck.

Thanks very much indeed.

So Si.

I've got a few definites on my mind that I'm thinking of.

That could be right.

-Los Angeles.

-Los Angeles says Si.

Let's see if that's right and let's see how many of our 100 people said Los Angeles.

It's right.

Si, look at that, 17! Very well done! That's a great answer.

Yeah, they held the summer Olympics twice in 1932 and 1984.

1932 was the first time they ever stood on podiums and had their flags raised in the medal ceremonies.

And 1984's the first time they had women's synchronised swimming so...

-Both powerful movements forward for the Olympics.

-Good.

Thanks very much indeed. Simon, well done. Now, Stephen.

An Olympic host city. Not a capital.

I would like to stick in North America and I would like to go for Atlanta, please.

Atlanta, says Stephen. Let's see if Atlanta's right and how many of our 100 people said it.

It's right.

-25!

-APPLAUSE

Yeah, 1996. It was actually first ever Olympics where every nation who could participate did participate.

-That was a good thing to bring to the party.

-It's nice.

The capital of the state of Georgia.

Now then, Katie.

Hi.

HE LAUGHS

Katie, how we feeling about this?

Erm, all right...

Erm, I'm going with one

that I think a lot of people

think is the capital but it's not, which is Sydney.

Sydney.

Sydney. Let's see, is that right? If it is, how many people said it?

It's right, Katie.

There we are. 23. Very well done.

Well done. 2000, the Sydney Olympics.

The Australian foreign minister said they were demonstrably better than the 2012 London games.

Demonstrably? That's a big word.

Especially when it's incorrect as well.

-Yeah.

-I suppose if you're an Australian it was better cos it was nearer.

-It was easier to commute.

-Much easier. Demonstrably better?

I think they're all good on their own merits.

Ours was... Ours was pretty good.

They weren't bad, were they?

And the Australians did really badly at ours as well.

Which is another quite good thing.

LAUGHTER

They did demonstrably badly.

LAUGHTER

We're halfway through the round. Let's take a look at the scores.

17 the best score from Si, very well done.

Denise and Si looking strong. Maybe you'll make it through to the head-to-head this time.

Then up to 23 where we find Katie and Joanna

then up to 25 where we find Stephen and Serena.

So, yes, all pretty tightly grouped together there.

Best of luck to all pairs. We're coming back down the line.

Can the second players please take their places.

Now, Joanna, we're looking for Olympic host cities that weren't capital cities.

Again, they can be summer or winter.

I've got one but I'm sure it's a capital city so...

Not that one.

I can't think of any more.

The high scorers are Stephen and Serena on 25.

If you can score one or less you'll avoid becoming the new high scorers.

I'm going to have to go with the one in my head. Guess Beijing.

OK, you're going to go for Beijing.

There is your red line. It's very low.

Let's see if Beijing's right and let's see how many of our 100 people said Beijing.

Sorry, that's an incorrect answer. Scores you the maximum of 100 points.

Takes your total up to 123.

Sorry, Joanna, that's the capital of China.

It did hold an Olympics though.

Now then, Serena.

If you can score 97 or less, you are through to the head-to-head.

How do we feel about this as a round?

-I've only got one.

-That might be all you need.

Yeah. I'm going to go for Munich.

Munich, says Serena. Munich.

Let's see if that's right, let's see how many of our 100 people said it.

It is right and you are in the head-to-head. Very well done.

-Ten!

-APPLAUSE

Straight answer takes your total up to 35.

1972. Well done, Serena.

Thanks very much. Now then, Denise. Great news for you. You are through to the head-to-head.

You won't be overtaking Joanna and Katie's score.

Even if you get an incorrect answer.

So what are you thinking, Denise?

Well, this would have been probably my worst category.

Sport and me just don't do.

So thanks, girls, but I'm sorry.

I'd like to try and I don't even know if it is a place.

-Whistler?

-Whistler?

Let's see if Whistler's right and if it is let's see how many people said it. No red line for you.

No. Bad luck, Denise, an incorrect answer scores you the maximum 100 points.

Takes your total to 117. But you're already through.

Yeah, sorry, it is a place though and actually everyone else has gone for summer Olympic cities.

The winter Olympic cities are where all the pointless answers are.

That's where all the good answers are.

Let's take a look at some of the winter Olympic cities that were pointless. Well done if you got any.

All of those would have been pointless.

All those hosted winter Olympics, as did Nagano.

There's a US winter Olympics one, Squaw Valley.

Some lower scorers as well.

The best summer Olympics venue was Antwerp, which would have scored you three points.

There's a few other winter Olympic ones.

Abbeville, Sapporo, Chamonix, St Maritz would have scored you three.

Sarajevo which wasn't a capital then would have scored you three.

Lake Placid and Turin would have scored you four. Innsbruck five.

Lillehammer would have scored you five, as would Salt Lake City.

We've seen the top three already.

Let's go through the ones that most of our 100 people said.

Thanks very much indeed. So at the end of our second round I'm afraid it's Joanna and Katie

who will be leaving us with a high score of 123.

You did twice as well. You did twice as well this time.

We're happy! We're happy to be on it so...

It's been lovely having you. Thank you so much for playing. Great contestants. Joanna and Katie.

APPLAUSE

But for the remaining two pairs it's now time for the head-to-head.

APPLAUSE

Congratulations, Stephen and Serena, Denise and Si. You are one step closer to the final

and a chance of playing for our jackpot which stands at £8,500.

APPLAUSE

We have to decide which pair's going to play for that money.

To do that you're now going to go head to head.

You're now allowed to confer. The first pair to win two questions will play for that money.

Best of luck to both pairs. Let's play the head-to-head.

OK, here comes your first question. And it concerns...

Summits and meetings. Richard.

We'll show you five pictures of summits or meetings between world leaders.

You need to tell us the decade in which each of these photographs were shot.

OK, now, let's reveal our five summits or meetings and here they are.

We have got...

There we are, five summits or meetings.

We need the decades in which they took place. Stephen and Serena, you played best so far, so you go first.

We think that B is the 1970s.

OK, the 1970s for B.

1970s. Now then, Denise and Si.

Do you want to talk us through the board and give us a guess at each one

and tell us which you want to submit.

A we think might be the 80s.

C we're going to go for because there's Kennedy. John FK there.

We're thinking that's probably the 60s.

C, the 1960s.

C, the 1960s. So, Steve and Serena said the 1970s for B.

Let's see if that's right and if it is let's see how many of our 100 people said the 1970s.

It's right.

-26!

-APPLAUSE

26 for the 1970s.

Now, Denise and Si, you said the 1960s for C.

Let's see if that's right and let's see how many of our 100 people said the 1960s.

It is right.

-65, wow!

-APPLAUSE

Well, that means, Stephen and Serena, after one question you're up one nil. Richard.

That's Kennedy meeting Khrushchev and Edward Heath signing us into the Common Market. 70s and 60s.

A is the 2000s.

The noughties. That would have scored you 40 points.

There's Putin, Bush, all sorts of people.

D, John Major there.

Which makes it the 90s.

NATO summit, Douglas Hurd there as well. 34 points would have scored you.

And E, that's the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.

David Lloyd George there. 1919. 1910s was the answer there.

Would have scored you 13 points. Very well done if you got all of those.

Thanks very much indeed. Here comes your second question. Denise and Si, you get to answer first.

But you have to win it to stay in the game. Best of luck. It concerns...

Adjectives beginning with Q. Richard.

We'll show you five words listed as adjectives in the Oxford Dictionary of English beginning with Q.

We've removed alternate letters. Can you guess what these five words are, please.

OK, let's reveal our five words beginning with Q and here they are.

I'll read those all one last time.

Now then, Denise and Si, you go first this time.

We know the first and the fourth one.

Which are probably going to be pretty high.

We're going to have to go with the top one.

-Quilt.

-Quilt.

OK, Denise and Si are saying quilt.

Now, Stephen and Serena. Talk us through the board.

We think the first one is quiet.

The second one quintessential.

The third one I'm not sure about.

Quick.

And we think the bottom one might be quantifiable.

-I think that's the one we'll go for.

-You're going for quantifiable.

So we have quilt versus quantifiable.

Denis and Si said quilt. Let's see if that's right and let's see how many of our 100 people said it.

Bad luck! I'm afraid that's an incorrect answer.

Which means, Stephen and Serena, you merely have to be correct with quantifiable.

Let's see if it's right. Let's also see how many of our 100 people said it.

Well done, it is right.

Three! Very well done indeed!

But also very well done because after only two questions you are through to the final two nil.

Well played, Stephen and Serena.

Quilt is a noun and a verb but not an adjective, I'm afraid.

Makes me feel very quilty but that's the case.

Quilted would be the adjective.

So quiet is the top answer. Would have scored you 33.

You're right about quintessential. That would have scored you 18.

Let's leave the next one for a moment. That's the best answer.

You were right about quick. Biggest scorer though. Score of 86.

Now this last one, this last one scores one point.

-Do you know it?

-Quarrelsome.

Quarrelsome, yes, absolutely right. Would have scored one.

-Very well done to anyone who got all those at home.

-Thanks very much indeed.

So at the end of our head-to-head round I'm afraid the pair leaving us are Denise and Si.

You played so well today.

I'm afraid it really is goodbye this time. Thank you so much for playing.

-Denise and Si.

-APPLAUSE

For Stephen and Serena, it's time for our Pointless final.

APPLAUSE

Congratulations, Stephen and Serena.

You've seen off the competition and you've won our coveted Pointless trophy.

You now have a chance to win our jackpot and at the end of today's show the jackpot stands at £8,500.

APPLAUSE

I think we've put you through your paces today, haven't we?

-I'm trying to think what we had. We had...

-Military.

Military actors. Olympic host cities. Political meetings and summits.

And then we had adjectives.

Now, Stephen, if people want to buy these antiquarian books, I won't get chance to ask you next show,

do you have pictures of them online and then people can then...

I stick a picture up, say when it was made and what the condition's like.

Beautiful leather bound, five raised bands, marble pages.

Have you learnt all about this just through buying and selling?

-Or did you have an interest?

-I've always been into books. I was a very dull teenage student.

When I was a student I'd go to Blackwalls bookshop, I'd go to Foyles in London.

-I've always loved books.

-Oh, Serena, I'm sorry, are we keeping you up?

LAUGHTER

I live with it all the time, Alexander, this is what it's like.

Now, Serena, secretly you love antiquarian books, don't you?

-I used to work in publishing so...

-Course, yes, you did.

That's where you met.

I was children's books so slightly less antiquarian.

OK.

Well, listen, back to our final round. There's a lovely big jackpot there.

As always, you have to start this round by choosing a category.

You have four options. They are...

Wow.

Stephen.

God.

I would go for Africa because I know about that but you know more about modern children's literature.

Oh, I don't know. What do you want to do?

It's up to you, darling.

-Go for literature.

-We'll go for modern children's literature.

You have to, don't you? Come on, Serena.

Pressure's on me then.

It's good to have pressure on. What if there was no pressure and it was three things you had no idea about?

Come on, it'll be brilliant.

Best of luck. You've gone for modern children's literature. Richard.

It's a good choice now we have three choices within each category.

You would hope something would come up you might know about. I hope you know about these.

Any of the 13 published novels in the Lemony Snicket series.

We are looking for any of Charlie Higson's Young Bond books.

Or any book by Julia Donaldson and her regular illustrator Axel Scheffler.

Not the spin-offs when they have colouring books but the regular books by those two.

Very best of luck. I hope there's something out there for you.

OK, now as always, you've got up to a minute to come up with three answers

and all you need to win that jackpot of £8,500, decent jackpot,

is for one answer at least to be pointless.

Now remember the answers you give can be for any of these categories.

It can be three from one, two from one, one from another.

It's up to you. Just say which category it's from when you submit the answer.

-Are you ready?

-Yes.

Let's put 60 seconds up on the clock.

There they are, your time starts now.

A Series Of Unfortunate Events. Is that the name of the whole series?

-They've all got individual titles.

-Really?

-Yeah.

-Oh no.

Charlie Higson. I think I've got one in my mind called Silverfin.

Ringing a bell. Whether that's that one or a different series I don't know.

But we could say that.

-Do you know any Julia Donaldson?

-Room On A Broom is the only one I can think of.

Who did... Is that recent, Julia Donaldson?

Well, a little while ago. 15 years maybe.

So Room On A Broom.

And I would say The Gruffalo. Is that one of hers?

No, that's...

-Lemony Snicket.

-A Series Of Unfortunate Events.

-That's the only one, isn't it?

-Ten seconds left.

-OK, we'll have to go with that.

-Do you not know any of the titles?

-No. I can't remember any.

-Oh dear.

OK, that's your time up. So, I now need your three answers.

We're going to do one from each category.

So the first one would be A Series Of Unfortunate Events.

A Series Of Unfortunate Events from the Lemony Snicket series.

Charlie Higson's Young Bond, Silverfin.

Silverfin.

-And Julia Donaldson Room On A Broom.

-Room On A Broom.

OK. Now...

-Of those three which do you think is your best shot at a pointless answer?

-None of them!

Erm...

Silverfin, do you think?

-I think Room On A Broom sounded...

-It's very well known.

-Is it?

-Shall we go for Silver... OK, let's do that.

At least we know it's correct. Room On A Broom.

-Room On A Broom we'll put last.

-Yeah.

We'll put the Lemony Snicket one first.

Series Of Unfortunate Events we'll put first.

And Silverfin in the middle.

Let's pop those answers on the board in that order and here they are.

Very best of luck.

Your first answer was The Series Of Unfortunate Events.

From the Lemony Snicket series.

So let's find out if it's correct.

If it's pointless you will leave here with £8,500.

Is The Series Of Unfortunate Events a Lemony Snicket book?

Oh, bad luck!

Bad luck, an incorrect answer.

Two more chances to win today's jackpot of £8,500.

I'm going to ask Serena. £8,500.

What would be the first thing you would do with that?

I would like to take the kids on a safari in Africa.

While they still want to go on holiday with us.

-Good stuff!

-They're almost at the age where they won't want to.

So it's got to be something to tempt them along?

Yeah, something a bit exotic.

Very good. Stephen, anything else for you? Any first editions?

I'm having a separate holiday. I'm going to China to see the Terracotta Warriors at Sian.

I bet the kids will prefer to come with me, Alexander, hey.

Serena, you have no interest in the Terracotta Army?

Yeah, yeah, I'd go along. Yeah.

There we are. Your second answer was Silverfin.

This of course was one of the Charlie Higson Young Bond books.

Let's find out if that's correct and if it's pointless you will walk away with £8,500.

Let's find out how many people said Silverfin. Is it right?

It is correct!

The Series Of Unfortunate Events was incorrect for one reason or another

but Silverfin is on the money.

Down it goes through the 20s. Into the teens. Is it going to make single figures?

Down it goes. Still going down. Four!

-APPLAUSE

-That's a great answer.

Four for Silverfin.

Cracking answer. Lovely low score. Sadly we're only interested in pointless answers for this round.

So everything is now resting on your last answer.

Which was Room On A Broom.

Let's find out. Is Room On A Broom a Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler book?

Oh!

APPLAUSE

Oh.

All will be revealed. That for some reason is an incorrect answer.

I have a feeling I know why.

Unfortunately therefore you didn't manage to find that all-important pointless answer.

You don't win today's jackpot of £8,500. That will roll over on to the next show.

We've loved having you on the show and you do get to take home a Pointless trophy each.

-Thank you.

-Thank you very much.

It's Room On THE Broom, I'm afraid. Would have scored you nine points anyway.

The big scorers for Julia Donaldson were The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo's Child.

They were very big scorers.

I bet with your kids you'll know some Julia Donaldson books.

I'll go through all three before we get to that. I'll stop you.

And I'll test you.

Let's take a look at Lemony Snicket. There's a few pointless answers here.

Also could have The Austere Academy, The Carnivorous Carnival and The Slippery Slope.

Only one pointless answer in the Young Bond series. These are brilliant books by the way.

Blood Fever was the only pointless one of those.

Now...

-OK.

-Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler. What have you got?

-I'm going to go... Can I give you three?

-Why not?

Tiddler, I'd go for.

-OK, Tiddler would score you two points.

-Oh!

-Stick Man.

-Stick Man...

..would score you five points.

Oh! Monkey Puzzle.

Monkey Puzzle? Your first answer scored you two.

-Yeah.

-Second answer scored you five.

-Yeah. £8,500.

-There is a jackpot of £8,500.

Say you were to win the jackpot today, what would you spend the money on?

Erm, I think I'd... I'd give it all to charity.

LAUGHTER

-Four points.

-Oh!

I'm afraid. APPLAUSE

Let's take a look at some of the pointless answers for the Julia Donaldson category.

Can't believe you didn't say Tabby McTat. Do any of those ring a bell at all?

Fox's Socks we've got but that's for sort of... Yeah, I wasn't thinking of those ones.

Yeah. You've been so brilliant throughout the show.

LAUGHTER

You were great last time as well. It's been lovely having you on.

-I only came for the trophy.

-I'm sorry this is your last time.

No, we've had a lovely time. We. Obviously me and the podium.

You've been absolutely terrific, you really have.

And safe journey back.

Yeah, yeah. Thank you.

Did you know any of those?

-No.

-None at all.

-Dear oh dear.

Bad luck.

We do have to say goodbye to you but it's been wonderful having you on the show.

Thank you for playing, you've played so well. Stephen and Serena.

APPLAUSE

Very sadly they didn't win our jackpot which means it rolls over on to the next show.

We will be playing for £9,500.

APPLAUSE

Join us and see if someone can win it. It's goodbye from Richard.

-Goodbye.

-And it's goodbye from me. Goodbye.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd